


The haunting of Greyskull Hill

by Book_goddessforlife98



Series: Adventures of Vox machina [1]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Horror, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Character Turned Into a Ghost, Gloria Cyn, Gloria Cyn: Anna Ripley, Grief/Mourning, Haunting Of hill house au, Healing, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Inspired by The Haunting of Hill House, Mentions of Suicide, Multi, Murder Disguised as Suicide, Percival "Percy" de Rolo III Angst, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Sadness, Service Dogs, Slow Burn, Touch-Starved, Touching, Warning: Anna Ripley, Warnings May Change, anna Ripley is a bitch, autistic keyleth, autistic percy, but he is back as a ghost, fighting supernatural, im sorry, trigger warning, trinket is a service dog, twin link, twin telepathy, vax is dead I am sorry, warning: Saundor
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-02
Updated: 2020-03-15
Packaged: 2021-01-16 20:22:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 13
Words: 11,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21277151
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Book_goddessforlife98/pseuds/Book_goddessforlife98
Summary: Greyskull Manor has been haunted for a long time. It has been abandoned since the deaths of the de Rolos. Percy hasn’t set foot since he drove off with his youngest sister. But after he is informed by his friend Allura that there has been another death, he chooses to go back.Vex’aliah hasn’t been back to the manor since she and her brother fled the house. When Vax goes by himself and is found dead she wants to kill whatever killed him. She meets Percy the only other person who understands perfectly the workings of that house. So she goes back with him.





	1. A brief history of Greyskull hill

Greyskull Manor had been built in the late 1800s by Vecna Greyskull. The house was cursed and every person who had helped build it died. Vecna had died a year after it was finished. 

The house passed through many hands before it was left sitting for five years.

Eliana Byerdon and her husband Gerald bought the house in 1989 and staid for a summer flipping the home. They died and their twins went to live with their biological father. 

two years later it was by the De rolos where the family stayed for three years before everyone but two members of the family died. 

it now currently sits untouched as it is still owned by the de rolos.   


the house is known to be haunted and many people visit it after the deaths of the de Rolos. Recently boarded up due to the trespassers dying from unknown causes. 

the only survivors of Greyskull manor are Vex and Vax Vessar and Percy and Cassandra de Rolo. 


	2. The Vessar Twins

“why are we doing this again?” Vex asked 

”so we can make enough money,” Eliana said. “And we can finally settle down. We already have a potential buyer. We just have to make this place look pretty,” 

“can we help?“ vax asked her. 

“Yes. We can finish sooner,” she said. 

“Cool,” the twins said. 

“Why don’t we have you two paint one of the bedrooms,” 

“okay,” 

Eliana got them set up, the two got to painting the bedroom. 

a few nights into staying in the house things started to become really strange. Vex was asleep when she heard her brother screaming. She bolted up in bed seeing a figure dressed all in black standing at the edge of his bed. The figure had a rope hanging from their neck. The figure vanished the moment their mother entered the room. 

“Vax’ildan what’s wrong?”

”the hanging man...I saw him again,” he said, she pulled him into her arms. 

“It’s okay,” she said. “You are ok, as long as you have your sister you are safe,” she said. Vex came over and joined them. “Same goes for you my vex’aliah,” she said. “You two protect each other,” she said. Kissing their heads. “Now get some rest,” she said. Leaving them, the twins ended up sharing a bed. Not wanting to be alone if the ghosts came back. The hanging man wasn’t the only ghost the twins encounter, there was quiet a few.

Saundor was the one that scared Vex the most, the one who when she was alone would play with her hair. It terrified her, it’s and Vax never left each other’s sides for very long. They could face the ghosts when they together. They felt braver. 

a month and a half had passed, it had gotten worse. Their parents wrote it off as nightmares. 

”Mom,” vax said. “When can we leave?” 

“we just hav some more month,” she said. “Do you see how beautiful this place is. We already have a buyer. Just gotta do a few more things,” she said. “Go off and play. When you see the lights flicker twice come home,” 

“okay,” vex said. Dragging Vax off, they sat in the gardens. Vax read to her while she made flower crowns for them. 

“Vax. I don’t wanna stay in the house anymore,” she said. 

“We could stay in the treehouse,” he said. “Just for the night,”

”okay,” she said. Putting the flower crown on him. They slept in the treehouse that night. No nightmares. No ghosts. For once they got. A peaceful nights rest. 

_______

The last night in the house was the worst. All the ghosts came out, their stepfather chased them out of the house after he had killed their mother. The twins got to the car. 

“I can’t reach the pedals,” vax said. 

“I can get the pedals,” vex said “you just steer the car,” the two navigated themselves to the town near by. To the police station, the two walked into the precinct clinging to each other and explaining what happened. They left out the part about ghosts and such. Knowing they wouldn’t be believed. They were taken to the hospital where they stayed for a few days until their biological father came to take them to his home. He had a wife and a young daughter. The twins still shared a room and bed, because they knew if they were stronger together. 


	3. Keyleth: Questioning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning ⚠️: mentions of suicide, death, ptsd and anxiety attack

Keyleth was working in her kitchen when she got a call from an unfamiliar number she answered it. 

“Hello who is this?”

”I am Bryce Feelid with the sheriff’s department in Edom. Is this Keyleth Ashari?”

”yes this is she,”

”you were one of the emergency contacts on mr. Vessar’s contact list. We couldn’t get ahold of his sister, you were the next one on the list,” 

“is vax alright?”

”I am sorry to inform you he died late last night, we found him on Greyskull hill,” 

“he’s dead? No. That’s. Not. That’s not possible,” she said 

”I am sorry,”

”h-h-how?”

”we aren’t certain. We do believe it was a suicide,” 

“he wouldn’t kill himself,” she said. “He...he just wouldn’t,” 

“He hung himself, there was no sign of a struggle,” 

“He wouldn’t!” 

“What would you like us to do with the body?”

”Sarenrae mortuary,” she said. “Please bring him there,” 

“alright. We will. It won’t be till tomorrow,” 

“okay,” she said. “Bye,” she hung up. She called Pike.

”Keyleth?”

”vax is dead,”

”what!?” She early dropped the phone from the yell at the other end of the phone. 

”he went back to Greyskull hill,”

”oh gods,” 

“they are sending his body to you guys tomorrow. I am going to go get vex,” 

“okay. I’ll let the others know,” pike said. “Bye,” she hung up. Keyleth drove to where Vex worked. She saw Gilmore and Scanlan working but no Vex. 

“Gilmore where is Vex?”

”she never showed up for work,” he said. “We tried calling but she didn’t answer the phone,”

”She knows,” Keyleth said. “The twin thing,”

”what twin thing?” Scanlan asked. 

“Vax is dead...he uhhh he went back to the place his mother died. They found him, they said he killed himself,”

”no,” Gilmore said. “No he wouldn’t do that,” 

“I know that’s what I am saying,” she said. “Close the bakery we have to go check on vex,” she said. 

“Give me five minutes,” he said. 

“I’ll call allura,” Scanlan said. He called her. Talking for a few minutes. “Okay so she can’t make it, but grog and Kima is coming,”

”okay,” Keyleth said.

They all drove to Vex’s place. Keyleth knocked on the door. 

“Vex!” She called. “Vex please open the door,” the door opened. Trinket stood there wagging his tail. He barked and turned around looking at Keyleth. He lead her to the bedroom. He laid down next to vex, burrowing his head underneath vex’s arm. 

“Vex,” grog said walking over to her. She looked up at him. 

Vex just let out a cross between a sob and a moan. She held tightly onto Trinket, who nuzzled her. 

“Im gonna get you up,” Keyleth said. She tried to get vex up but she couldn’t. “Grog could you get her up?”

”okay Ms. Vex I’m gonna pick you up now,” he said lifting her up right. Vex was covered in her own vomit. 

“Oh honey,” Keyleth said. “Grog can you put her in the bath tub?” She said. “Scanlan can you and Gilmore clean up the mess in the floor,” she said. “Kima meet me in the bathroom,” she said 

“Sure,” he said taking her into the bathroom. Vex just lay there limply, Trinket followed them in. Grog out her in the bathtub. Kima and Keyleth came into the bathroom. 

“Okay you wait outside with trinket,” Keyleth said. “And order some take out,” she handed grog her phone. 

“What kind?”

”just pick a menu from Vex’s table,” she said “now out,” she closed he door. It took both Kima and Keyleth to get Vex cleaned up. She was just a mess. Kima went to get some clothes from her room. They got Vex dried off and clean carrying her out to the couch. Vex just laid back down on the floor where Trinket was. She wrapped her arms around him. 

“Why did he have to...why did he have go to the house alone,” she said. It was the first time Vex had spoken since they had gotten here. 

“You know then?” Grog asked. 

“That he’s dead. And he was so fucking terrified when he died,” she said crying again. She sat up looking at them. “He was terrified. I know what I felt. I know what he was feeling,” she was still hugging Trinket. The door bell rang. Grog opened the door it was the take out guy. He paid him bringing the food in and setting it on the coffee table. “I am not hungry,” she said 

“you should try at least,” Gilmore said he sat down next to her. He put his arms around her and pulled her into a hug. “We are here for you,” he said.

”Keyleth can I stay with you?” She asked 

“yeah,” she said. Kima got some plates, she put the some pizza on the plate and handed it to Vex. 

“Thanks Kima,” she said. Vex ate a few bites before she stopped. It felt like ash in her mouth. Keyleth took her home. They ended up sleeping in the same bed. Trinket at their feet, vex in Keyleth’s arms. The funeral was in a couple of days, but Vex didn’t want to leave Keyleth’s bed unless it was necessary. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updates are whenever I finish the next chapter.   
Please leave a comment and kudos below to show support


	4. Percy: Nothing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning ⚠️: PTSD episode, nightmare, implied rape in the past

Percy was asleep when he got a call from Allura, he picked the phone up. And turned on the light. 

“Allura to what do I owe the pleasure? You know it’s 4 in the morning where I am right?”

“This is urgent,” Allura said. “They.....A body was found at the house,” she said 

”I thought it was locked up,”

”He broke it. He lived in the house before your family did. His family actually fixed the house up, his mom and stepfather died,” 

”How did he die?”

”hanging from the balcony of the wire staircase. It was ruled a suicide,” 

“but?”

”His girlfriend, boyfriend, and sister all say he didn’t show any signs of depression or suicide. I met him too. He didn't show the signs,” 

”The house killed him,” he said. 

“We need to be sure, need you to come down here and—“

”I can’t,” he said. “The last time I touched someone who was killed by that house...” he trailed off. 

”I know, I know.” She said. “But we need to know for sure. And I’ll be there, so will Pike. We won’t let what happened to you last time happen this time,” 

“okay. Ok. I will be there on the first available flight,” he said. He hung up, placing the phone on the counter. His hands shaking heavily, he went to his computer and booked the first flight available. He packed a few bags and checked into his flight. He texted Allura his flight information. He put his luggage in the head compartment. Someone tapped his shoulder. 

“Are you Percy de Rolo?” Someone asked. They had **the book** in their hands.

”please just leave me alone,” he held his hand up near his hair. “I am sorry I don’t...I don’t want to talk about that book.” He was clenching and unclenching his fist. “Or anything inside of it,” he said gripping his hair “Please just leave me alone,” he said. 

“i just wanted to know if you would sign it,” 

Percy shook his head, “no. I’m sorry but I can’t,” he said. “I can’t, please go away,” he said. Just starring at the book. He had his hair gripped in his gloved hand. He looked ready to pull it out. 

“Ok. Sorry to bother you,” they retreated back to their seat. Percy leaned his head back on the seat and closed his eyes. 

The plane took off, Percy fell asleep. He had a dream that hadn’t haunted him in a while. 

_Percy laid in his bed, he felt an arm around him.   
_

_“Have another nightmare Cass?” He said sleepily. The hand tightened around his, squeezing hard. “Cass that’s too tight,” he said. He looked over his shoulder, no one was there. He tumbled out of bed away from it, tripping in the sheets. He feels his back press up against the wall there are more hands touching him. Keeping him pinned to the wall, he screams and one of the hands cover his mouth. _

Percy’s eyes snap open, he looks over at the flight attendant who had woken him up. 

“I’m sorry to wake you but we are about to land soon. I need you to put your seat up,” she said. 

“It’s alright,” he said adjusting his seat. The plane descended and then landed. The landing was a bit bumpy.

Pike was waiting outside with Grog. A sign that said Percy long ass middle name de Rolo on it. In beautiful letters. He smiled walking up to them. 

“Hello,” he said hugging her first and then Grog. 

“How was the flight,” pike asked 

“it was fine,” he said. 

“You hand is shaking,” she said. Percy clenched his fist tightly and shoved it in his coat pocket. Grog put his luggage in the trunk.

”nightmare,” he said. 

“Oh you want to talk to allura when you get to the house?”

“Yes,” he said. “can you tell me more about the man who died?”

”He was 26, he has a twin sister his girlfriend is bringing her,” she said. “They didn’t live there as long as you did. But like you they are sensitive to the spirits,”

”you will like Ms. Vex,” grog said “she is very pretty, and smart. She owns her own bakery. She’s a singer and plays the guitar. She and her brother were in a band in high school and college called the raven queen And had a big dog. It’s a Karelian Bear Dog. His name is Trinket. He’s a service dog,” he said. Percy is looking out the window as they drive, it’s drizzling. He barely heard what Grog says 

“Grog,” pike said. “Don’t want to overwhelm Percy,”

”so it’s claimed another soul,” he said.

“We’ve missed you Percy,” grog said. 

“I’ve missed you too,”

”have you contacted your sister?”

”She never responded to my letters,” he said “I stopped writing when I was nineteen,” 

“you should call her,”

”I ran away from home,” 

“I know,” 

“tell me if they know anything else about the man who died,”

”his name was Vax’ildan. His sister will know more, cops believe it was a suicide,”

”it wasn’t,” Percy said. “And I will confirm it when I touch him,”

”you are ok with this?”

”not really. But I have to know. His loved ones deserve to know the truth,” 

“maybe you two can figure out a plan,”

”to what?”

”destroy the evil in that house,” 

They arrived at the house that was connected to the funeral home. Percy walked inside with them. Allura and Kima greeted them. 

“Percy it’s good to see you,” she said. “I wish it were under different circumstances,” 

“as do I,” he said. “Can I see him?”

”pike?” Allura said 

“I finished,” she said. “I’ll take you down stairs. Best to do it before his sister and partners arrive,” she said. Leading Percy down to the mortuary room. Vax is laid out in the table, he looks like he died in his sleep instead of being hung from the staircase. 

“You did a good job,” Percy said. 

“Thanks,” she said. Her phone rang. “Oh I gotta take this, I’ll be right back. “You ok on your own?” 

“I’ll be fine,” he said. Pike left him alone in the room. Percy took off his gloves holding them close before he put them in the pocket of his jacket. He placed a hand gently on Vax’s forehead. The lights flickered out and then on again. Percy couldn’t see who but he saw someone forcing Vax into the outer railing of the balcony, them putting the rope around his neck before shoving him off. Percy felt the fear, the emptiness. He felt nothingness. He pulled away falling back into the other table. His heart racing, he was breathing heavily. He felt soft fur in his hand. A big dog with a service dog vest around his body nuzzling his way into Percy’s arms laying his head in Percy’s lap. 

“Trinket?” A voice said “please come back, where did you go?” A young woman calls out, Trinket let out a soft woof, he looked up at the woman with big puppy dog eyes. 

“Oh hi,” she said. “Are you ok? What were you doing in here did you know my brother?”

Percy says nothing. He can’t just even looked at her. He had his hands in trinket’s fur. he didn’t say anything. He is just staring at Vax’s ghost. 

“They say it looks like they are sleeping. But he just looks dead to me,” she said. “I’m vex,” 

“oh vex. You shouldn’t be down here,”pike said. “Percy are you alright?” She asked. Percy stood up he slipped his gloves back on. He finally looks at Vex. She looked very similar to the young man on the table. Percy realized this must have been his sister. He remembered being told he had a twin sister. His gaze turns to Pike. 

”I’m fine,” he said. “Just...I’m fine. I need fresh air,” he said. He looked at Vex, again. “I’m Percy,” he said holding his hand out. 

“Vex. Like I said before,” she said shaking his hand. “What’s with the gloves?”

”I’m a bit of a germaphobe,” he said. It was the easiest explanation. “I’ll see you around,” he said leaving. He walked outside getting some fresh air. He saw Kima and Allura talking outside. He walked over to them. It had started to lightly drizzle. 

“Percy,” Allura said. “What did you see?” She asked. “I know that look,”

”he was murdered,” he said. “I didn’t see who. But he didn’t commit suicide. They made it look like one,” 

“are you ok?”

”yes...no,” he said 

“what else did you feel?”

”his fear before he died,” he said. _I also felt nothing. He wants to say. Just nothing. I felt nothing. I can still feel it lingering. _But he doesn’t 

“Do you need to talk about it?” She asked 

“I don’t know,” he said. “I don’t know how to tell you. I can’t explain it. I just…I need to go for a walk,”

”it’s going to start raining harder,” Kima said 

“Percy, we said we would be here, please don’t leave,” allura says.

“I’ll be back,” he said. “Just let Pike know,” he said walking off. He walked off he ended up walking several blocks to a bar he walked inside and sat down at the bar ordering a drink. He downed it and a few others. The bartender set a drink down.

“Oh I didn’t order this,” he said.

“The young woman at the end ordered it,” he said pointing her out. There was a woman sitting at the edge of the bar she gave him a smile. She waved, Percy gave him a smile. He took the drink and walked over.

”thanks for the drink,” he said. 

“No problem. I’m Gloria. Gloria Cyn,” she said

”I’m Percy,” he said 

“you dye your hair white?” 

“No,” he said. “It’s just a weird genetic mutation,” he said. 

“Cool,” she said, they share a few more drinks chatting and talking. She asks him a question. 

“So you maybe want to go back to my place?” Normally Percy would say no. He doesn’t do random hookups, but he is desperate to feel something again, besides this vast nothingness. So he agrees to it. 

“Sure,” he says. They pay for their drinks and they go to her place which isn’t far. The kissing is a little sloppy. They are both intoxicated, she shoves him onto the bed getting on top of him. Unbuttoning his shirt. She traces the scars he has a sir she has familiarity with them. 

_  
Percy stared up at the ceiling, searching for patterns in the design of the wood, they are in the basement if briarwood manor. All he feels right now is touch he doesn’t want. Hands pinning him down, wrists pinned above his head. Ripley lets out a loud moan, she lets go of his hands and gets off of him composing herself. _

_Percy doesn’t move. So she slashes him with a knife to try and gain a reaction from him. and she does. His eyes snap in her direction. He doesn’t make a sound because she puts a hand over his mouth as she cuts him. She wants to know how he works. How his sensitivity to the supernatural works.   
_

Percy grips the woman’s hands, with gloved hands. 

”stop,” he looks into her eyes. “Now,”

”but we were just getting started,” 

“get off me,” he said. She doesn’t move. 

“I don’t think that’s fa—“ he shoves her off of him, buttoning his shirt. He walks to the door and grabs his coat putting it back on. 

“I said no,” he said. Gloria grabs his arm. 

“What do you mean no?”

”Don’t touch me,” he says. “Don’t touch me! Don’t touch me!” He repeats the phrases. Yelling them now. She lets go. He opens the door and slams it shut behind him. Percy walks back to Pike’s home or rather stumbles in that direction. He has to stop to throw up. Big arms awesome around him. 

“I got you Percy,” grog says. Carrying him back to the house. 

Percy come to in bed. Allura is standing over him.

”We could have helped you,” she said. 

“How long have I been out?”

”a few hours, you went a little...how much alcohol did you consume?”

”too much,” he said. 

“What did you feel?”

”nothing,” Percy said. 

“Bull—“

”no. It literally felt nothing. This nothingness, this darkness. It felt so cold. So lonely. So empty. I...I drank and then I almost had a one night stand. But I...the way she touched me it was a trigger. And that snapped me out of the nothingness for a little bit. But now...now it’s back,” he said. 

“We will figure this out,” she said. “For now, rest, drink the water. And recover. Vex wants to talk to you later, about her brother and the house,”

”ok,” he said. Allura left going back home with Kima. Home was right across the street from Pike’s home/funeral home. Percy drank the water then went back to sleep. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave a comment and kudos below if you enjoyed it.


	5. Vax: Hanging

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sorry for titling this hanging.  
Trigger warning ⚠️: murder,

Vax looked up at the house. He got out of the car and walked inside the doors opened for him like magic. Welcoming him back, they slammed shut behind him. He walked towards the back of the house. Towards the wire staircase that lead up to the red room. He was going to try and kill it. Kill the evil in that room. He has the means to do so, or so he convinces himself. He is at the top of the staircase when he heard a voice. 

“What is a beautiful young man like you doing here?” A chilling voice asked. Vax turned around to see a woman standing below him. The Delilah Briarwood, she was were connected to the de Rolos. Not in the way most people thought. 

”you should leave this place,” he said. “It’s dangerous,” he warned, something is off about her.

“You come here to kill,” a male voice said gripping Vax’s shoulders. 

“I came to see my mother,” 

”you are young, beautiful but a liar you are not,” the man said. Sylas briarwood. 

“Please I am just here to visit my mother. She died here,” He said 

“oh did you now?” Delilah asked as she ascended the stair case.

”yes,” he said. “I...I thought it would help me move on,” 

“Who knows you are here?” Sylas asked putting the rope that was still hanging there around Vax’s neck. It had been tied in a noose. Vax knows his mistake in coming here alone. He is going to die and he knows it. 

“No one,” he said struggling against the man who put him over the edge. Vax held on tightly to the railing. 

“good, then it will be awhile before someone finds your body,”

”please, I’m begging you, please don’t kill me. Not like this,” he said. “I just came to see my mother,” 

”then you can join her now,” Delilah said shoving him making him lose his grip. He fell and there was a crack. Vax sees himself, all the times he had seen the hanging man. It had been him. It had been His future. Now he was dead. Now his loved one would think he had killed himself. Time is weird here. Time moves quickly here. He expects to be consumed and tied to the house like the others but oddly he is not. 

Vax sees his sister fall apart.

next he sees them autopsy his body. Claiming it to be suicide. It was murder. He knows he was there. His family knows, because they know him. 

He watches pike prep his body for a funeral.

he watches a white haired man who is probably 25 walk into the ice cold room. He watches him remove his gloves and place a hand on Vax’s body. He watches him freak out. Panic fall back. Trinket trots in and comforts him. vex wanders in she introduces herself. Pike walks in asks if the man is ok. He replies with I’m fine. He introduces himself finally to Vex before leaving. Vex asks pike questions. Loads and loads of questions. They leave the room. 

vax is back at the house. He sees the briarwoods with dr. Anna Ripley and Vecna. They make plans to kill the others in the house. Vex, Percy, and Cassandra all of them dead. Enough sacrifice to finally bring Vecna back to the land of the living. Vax sees a woman dressed in all black, with feathers watching him. 

“Join me,” she says “your friends will need you when the time comes,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay. So I’m not really sorry for titling this chapter hanging. It just fit.  
Please leave a kudos and comment if you are enjoying this.


	6. The de Rolos

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mentions of rape and abuse and murder

_Percy held tightly onto his ten year old sister Cassandra. He put her into the car and shut the door closed behind her. Vesper came running out. _

_“Where is Julius?”_

_”I thought he was with you!” Percy said.   
_

_“And Ludwig?”   
_

_“He was with the twins,” Percy said.   
_

_“I’m going to go back and get Julius,” she said_

_”you can’t go back in there!”_

_”I have no choice. I have to get Julius. _ _Just get the car started!”_

_”but I can’t drive!”_

_”If I am not back in five minutes leave ok,” she said. “Swear to me Percy!”_

_”I... I swear,” he said. Percy started the car, he watched the clock. _

_2:22...2:23...2:24...2:25...2:26._

_Five minutes, Percy drove the car off the property. He kept driving trying his best to not get them killed. They were driving down the empty road when there were flashing blue and red lights and a siren. Percy slowed down and pulled off to the side. He put the car in park. The officer got out of his car and tapped on the window. Percy rolled it down, the light shinning bright in his face.   
_

_“Do you know why I pulled you....how old are you?” Seeing a teenager with stark white hair covered in blood, cuts, bruises, and dirt. Hands tightly wrapped around the steering wheel handing on for dear life, and his ten year old sister in the back of the car. Also covered in blood, a teddy bear gripped tightly in her hands. _

_”fifteen sir,” Percy said. The officer radioed for back up, for paramedics too.   
_

_“It’s gonna be alight son. We are gonna make sure you are all safe ok?”   
_

_“O...okay,” he says. Cassandra is easier to coax out of the car. Percy it takes a bit longer, because he literally can’t let go of the steering wheel. He thinks back to what he saw. The monster that ripped his parents apart. Tore them open like it was nothing. Eventually when they do get him out of the car he just shuts down. The lights are to bright, their voices to loud. _

_________  
_

_The car drove up to the large estate. Delilah and Sylas Briarwood were waiting for the remaining two de Rolo children exited the car when it came to a stop. Percy held Cass’s hand he looked around their new home. His eyes resting on his aunt and uncle. _

_“Welcome children,” Delilah said. “It’s going to be alright now. We will take care of you. Why don’t we show you to your rooms?” She offered Cass her hand. Cass let go of Percy’s and took Delilah’s. They followed them inside the house. They only had two small suitcases between the two of them the rest had been left at the house. The children refused to set foot back in that house. No one blamed them after what happened there. Their parents and five other siblings all died in that house. Sylas put a hand on Percy’s shoulder. _

_“I’ll show you your room,” he said. Percy shrugged his hand off, he didn’t like touch. He followed his uncle to his new room. “Here we are Percival,” _

_”I prefer Percy,” he said.   
_

_“Alright,” he said. “Tomorrow I want you to meet with a good friend of mine. Dr. Ripley, she can help you and your sister through the trauma you’ve suffered,” he said.   
_

_the news says that Percy’s mother went mad that she killed her husband and children before killing herself. Percy knows this is wrong, he knows what happened. No one believes him, only Cass does. _

_________

_Percy sat in Dr. Anna Ripley’s office, he watched her.  
_

_”Percy can you tell me you saw in that house?”_

_”ghosts,” he said. “Some of them were harmless.....others were not,” _

_“which ones were dangerous?”_

_”Orthax,” He said.   
_

_“Tell me about him,” _

_“he was very tall, he had horns, and claws,” he said. He shows the drawing in his sketch book.   
_

_“Hmm, interesting,” she says. She dismisses it as something else. As Percy coping with the abuse he suffered at what she assumed to be either his father or older brother’s hands. He argues that it was real. She yells at him and tells him she is the Dr. she knows best.   
_

_Percy doesn’t like touch, and yet the briarwoods and dr. Ripley ignore this boundary. Dr. Ripley does it the most, she says touch therapy will help. It will make him “normal” but it only makes him hate touch even more, especially with what he feels. What Anna feels as she rapes him. He is not sure if they abuse his sister, he thinks they probably do it differently. They are two different people. She hides it just as well as he does_

_Cass is 12 when Percy runs away, she is left alone with her aunt and uncle. Who treat her like a daughter. But she knows better than to step out of line. She remembers that night at the house. Being covered in blood, her brother carrying her to safety. She remembers seeing her mother being gutted by the ghost that haunted Percy’s room. Orthax. She is told that she is foolish to think ghosts exist. But Cass can see them everywhere she goes. She talks to them in her lonely house. Briarwood manor is full of ghosts, Cass doesn’t know why and she doesn’t care to know. Questions only get her hurt. _


	7. Vex: Hurting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok. I love writing vex and Percy interacting

_“Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!” A little girl with raven black hair and bright blue eyes ran up to vex. She had a raven in her hands. “Look what I caught!” She smiled brightly.   
_

_“How cute darling,” she said.   
_

_“Just like uncle Vax!” S_ _he said a man walked up behind the girl. Vex couldn’t make out any features of his.   
_

_“Little whisper,” he said “why don’t you let the raven go, so he can go be with his family,” he said._

_”okay daddy,” she said letting the raven go. It took to the sky. Vex noticed there were magpies in the trees. She counted them, one...two....three...six....seven.....eight....ten. The old nursery rhyme came back to her,   
_

_One for sorrow,_  
_Two for joy,_  
_ Three for a girl,_  
_ Four for a boy,_  
_ Five for silver_  
_ Six for gold,_  
_ Seven for a secret,_  
_ Never to be told._  
_ Eight for a wish,_  
_ Nine for_ a kiss,  
_Ten for a bird,_  
_ You must not miss._

  
Vex bolted up in bed hand around her neck. Her brother’s name stuck in her throat. The fear she felt, vex got up to grab her phone which she had left in the kitchen. She felt nothing now. She fell to her knees throwing up. Before she fell completely flat. Trinket came and nudged her, trying to get her to react. But she couldn’t. Her brother was dead. 

trinket staid with her until there was a knock. He left to go let them in. Her friends came in. Grog picked her up, Keyleth and Kima cleaned her up. She was now sitting on by the coffee table arms around trinket. 

“You should eat,”

”I can’t,” 

“please try,” 

“okay,” she had a few bites before it tasted like ash. “Keyleth can I stay with you?”

”of course,” she said. 

_vex had another dream, she saw two others before her. Boy and a girl she didn’t recognize bht she could tell they were related_, _they were both dressed in 1800s clothing that were seen in ballroom, paintings or a movie set in that era. Their clothes were brilliant blue. Vex was dressed in a similar dress only hers was red. __They were all in the red room. A voice echoed out in dark._

_“Four little mice come out to play,_

_when the master of the house is away,_

_three little mice come out to play,_

_despite their friend who ran away_

_two little mice come out to play,_

_though the cat is not away,_

_one little mouse comes out to play,_

_no friends left to make him stay,”_

_ _A man stepped out of the darkness. It was Vecna Greyskull. “My little three mice. My little friends, who will leave and who will stay?_ _ _ _” _ _

_ _a raven perched in the window let out a caw. It went straight at vecna. It’s talons going for his eyes.   
_ _

“Vex!” A voice said “vex wake up!” Keyleth shook vex awake. “You were having a nightmare,”

Keyleth brought Vex over to Pike’s to go over some funeral arrangements. Trinket by her side. Keyleth and Gilmore apart of the Decision making because they were his partners and they deserve a say too. Vex also just needs the support.

“Can I see him?” She asks

”not yet,” pike said. 

“Please?”

”it’s not a good idea, to see him laid out on that table,” she said.

”okay,” she said standing up. “I’ll be back I need to use the restroom,” she says. Instead she goes downstairs to see her brother. Trinket runs off. She goes after him. She is in the room pike works in. She sees her brother’s body. Trinket is comforting a white haired man who is on the ground. Trinket let out a soft woof, he looked up at her with big puppy dog eyes. 

“Oh hi,” she said. “Are you ok? What were you doing in here did you know my brother?”

The man says nothing. He doesn’t even looked at her. He had his hands in trinket’s fur. he remains quiet say anything. He is just staring at the wall. 

“They say it looks like they are sleeping. But he just looks dead to me,” she said. “I’m vex,” 

“oh vex. You shouldn’t be down here,”pike said. “Percy are you alright?” She asked. The man Percy stands up he slipped his gloves back on. He finally looks at Vex, then too Pike. Vex realizes she recognizes him from her dream from last night. 

”I’m fine,” he said. “Just...I’m fine. I need fresh air,” he said. He looked at Her again. “I’m Percy,” he said holding his hand out. 

“Vex. Like I said before,” she said shaking his hand. “What’s with the gloves?”

”I’m a bit of a germaphobe,” he said. It’s a lie. Vex can tell. But she doesn’t press. She is in no condition too. “I’ll see you around,” he said leaving.

”what was he doing here?” She asked Pike

”His family lived in the house after yours did,” she explains. “He is sensitive like you to the supernatural. He can sense things through touch. He doesn’t like the term psychic but that’s the best I can explain it,” she said

”oh,” she said “wow,”

”yes, and it can sometimes take a toll you understand,” 

“yes I do,” she says. “My dreams can be sometimes overwhelming,” she said. 

“lets go upstairs,” pike says. Vex follows her.

”can I talk to him?”

”tomorrow maybe,” 

Vex walks in the Pike’s kitchen the next morning. Pike told her to let herself in. The funeral was tomorrow and there was still stuff that needed to be done, she sees Percy drinking coffee, he looks like he is nursing a hangover. Trinket stays close to her.

“Hi,” she said. 

“Hi,” he says back 

“can we talk?”

”sure,” he says.

”pike told me you use to live in Greyskull manor,” she said “that you are like vax and me,” she said. “The gloves,” she said “they stop you from dealing with it all the time?” He nods 

“I can feel certain things when I touch people,” he said. “Things one would normally not pick up on,”

“I have dreams,” she said. “Do you have a sister?”

”yes. She...we have not talked in years,” he said 

“I saw the three of us, we were in the red room. All dressed as if for a ball from a fairytale,” she said. “I saw Vecna Greyskull. He called us his little mice. Blind little mice. Reciting that stupid child’s nursery rhyme. The three blind mice,” she said. 

“Your dreams are like visions of the future?”

”yes,” 

“how long have your dreams been like that?”

”it was here and there as a kid. It got worse when we moved into that house,” she said 

“same here,” he said “my sister can communicate with ghosts, even seem them. Whether or not they want to be seen,”

”could she maybe contact my brother?”

”we haven’t talked in years,” he said “and I didn’t leave on the best of terms,” 

“oh I am sorry,” she said “my brother was sort of like me,” she said “similar powers. They just manifested differently,“

”Vex, Percy morning,” pike said wandering into the kitchen. “I was wondering Percy if you could help Grog and Scanlan with something,” she said. “There’s this case that Vax was working on,” she said

”yeah I can take a look,” he said 

“you work in CPS?” Vex asked 

“I work with kids as a consultant,” he said. “Because of my abilities I get a certain insight that others don’t. I mostly just make inventions and sell them. They are meant to help others,” he said. 

”to help catch rapists,” she said “vax worked with a lot of kids, he put away a lot of bad people,” vex was proud of the work her brother did. She herself worked with animals and helped train service animals as well as ran her own bakery. 

“I know, he is very well known on the news,” Percy smiled 

“as are you,” she said “I looked you up,” she actually used one of his inventions in the bakery, it helped a lot. 

”vex want to go over the last details for tonight?” Pike asks “I’ll send grog and Scanlan your way,” pike tells Percy 

“sure,” she says leaving with pike. They go over the finishing details. Vex asks if she can lay down in a guest room. She’s tired. And drained from all the decisions she has had to make. Pike leads her to a room and Vex drifts off, she has another pleasant dream. With the little girl who’s name she does not know, and the man who calls her his little whisper. Her features are clear in Vex’s mind but the man’s like always are distorted. He calls Vex “My Light,” his star that lit up his dark world. It’s a pleasant dream. The raven watches over them, over her little girl. For once Vex doesn’t wake up in terror. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave a kudos and comment below if you enjoyed


	8. Pike: Wishing

Pike looked at the body Vax laid out before her. She worked to make him look more normal. As normal as one could get a corpse to look. She had to stop periodically to cry. Yes they could let someone else do this but she didn’t want someone else touching Vax. Keyleth didn’t want that either and Vex had said that only Pike could do it right. 

“Oh dear one. How did you end up like this?” She asked. There of course is no response. She finishes up. It’s almost time to retrieve Percy from the airport. She hasn’t seen him in so long. She goes with Grog. It of course is raining on their way there, it settles to a light drizzle. Pike holds up a sign for Percy. He spots them and smiles when he sees it. He looks tired, Pike knows what they are asking him is hard but they need validation.

How was the flight,” pike asked she saw his hand shaking,

“it was fine,” he said. 

“You hand is shaking,” she said. He clenched his fist tightly and shoved it in his coat pocket. Grog put his luggage in the trunk.

”nightmare,” he said. 

“Oh you want to talk to allura when you get to the house?” Pike was concerned for him. 

“Yes,” he said. “can you tell me more about the man who died?”

”He was 26, he has a twin sister his girlfriend is bringing her,” she said. “They didn’t live there as long as you did. But like you they are sensitive to the spirits,”

”you will like Ms. Vex,” grog said “she is very pretty, and smart. She owns her own bakery. She’s a singer and plays the guitar. She and her brother were in a band in high school and college called the raven queen And had a big dog. It’s a Karelian Bear Dog. His name is Trinket. He’s a service dog,” he said. Percy is looking out the window as they drive, it’s drizzling. He barely heard what Grog says 

“Grog,” pike said. “Don’t want to overwhelm Percy,”

”so it’s claimed another soul,” he said.

“We’ve missed you Percy,” grog said. 

“I’ve missed you too,”

”have you contacted your sister?”

”not since I was seventeen,” 

“you should call her,”

”I ran away from home,” 

“I know,” 

“tell me if they know anything else about the man who died,”

”his name was Vax’ildan. His sister will know more, cops believe it was a suicide,”

”it wasn’t,” Percy said. “And I will confirm it when I touch him,”

”you are ok with this?”

”not really. But I have to know. His loved ones deserve to know the truth,” 

“maybe you two can figure out a plan,”

”to what?”

”destroy the evil in that house,” if they got ride of the evil maybe vex would stop worrying so much, maybe Percy would get better. Pike knows there is way more to it then that. But she can’t help but hope.

They arrived at the house that was connected to the funeral home. Percy walked inside with them. Allura and Kima greeted them. Pike was glad they were here. Allura was always a big help when it came to the twins or Percy when he had lived here before he moved away. It was funny actually that right after he left the twins came into their lives. 

“Percy it’s good to see you,” she said. “I wish it were under different circumstances,” 

“as do I,” he said. “Can I see him?”

”pike?” Allura said looking at her. 

“I finished,” she said. “I’ll take you down stairs. Best to do it before his sister and partners arrive,” she said. Leading Percy down to the mortuary room. Vax is laid out in the table, he looks like he died in his sleep instead of being hung from the staircase. 

“You did a good job,” Percy said. 

“Thanks,” she said. It had been hard to do it, because it was her friend. And pike had to wonder why he went to that house alone. Her phone rang. “Oh I gotta take this, I’ll be right back. “You ok on your own?” 

“I’ll be fine,” he said. Pike left him alone in the room. She answered the phone. 

”hello?” She said 

“hi this is Velora. Vex isn’t answering her phone and I saw on the news what happened to Vax,” she said. 

”oh hi velora,” pike said. She cursed under her breath. The news had gotten ahold of this! How rude they could be, especially when it came to that fucking house. 

”can...can you tell me when the funeral is?” She asked “I wanna come,”

”of course. It’s in two days. I am sorry you had to find out from the news,” 

“did he really kill himself?”

”no,” pike said “he didn’t, the news is wrong,”

”then how did he die?”

”someone we don’t know who hurt him,”

”why?” 

”because some people are just really that bad,” 

“oh, okay. I’ll see you later,” she said “bye,”

”bye I’ll let vex know you called,” she said. The line went dead. There was a knock at the door. She let her friends in. Keyleth and Gil looked more out together. It she could tell they were grieving, they were hurting, just as much as vex was, but that most likely they were keeping a strong face for vex. She lead them to her little office, To go over last arrangements. 

“Can I see him?” She asks

”not yet,” pike said. She knows Vex is desperate but she wants to protect her. She needs to protect her, and because she knew vex would most likely do something reckless. 

“Please?”

”it’s not a good idea, to see him laid out on that table,” she said.

”okay,” she said standing up. “I’ll be back I need to use the restroom,” she says. Pike looks at the other two. 

”Did...was there any reason he went back to that house?” Gil asked. “I know some weird shit went down but like why go back?”

”because it’s like a calling,” pike says “it’s calling the last survivors,” she said. “Vex and Vax and the last two living de Rolos,” 

“it wants to finish what it started,” Keyleth said. “There is evil in that house, that needs them dead for some reason,”

”so you think vex could be next?” Gil asked

”I do,” pike said. “I also think Percy is at risk, which is the other reason I asked him to come,” she said. “We need to make sure they don’t go back to the house. Either of them. That’s what got Vax killed in the first place,”

”it doesn’t take vex that long to use the restroom,” Keyleth said, 

“I’ll go check on her,” pike got up and went to where she knew vex would be. 

“oh vex. You shouldn’t be down here,”pike said. She saw Percy sitting on the floor. Trinket was comforting him. “Percy are you alright?” She asked. Percy stands up he slipped his gloves back on. He finally looks at Vex, then too Pike. Pike knows he saw something that scared him. 

”I’m fine,” he said. “Just...I’m fine. I need fresh air,” he said. He looked at Her again. “I’m Percy,” he said holding his hand out. 

“Vex. Like I said before,” she said shaking his hand. “What’s with the gloves?”

”I’m a bit of a germaphobe,” he said. Pike understands why he is lying. He doesn’t trust her yet. And he doesn’t know she is like him, “I’ll see you around,” he said leaving.

”what was he doing here?” She asked Pike. Pike looked at Vex.

”His family lived in the house after yours did,” she explains. “He is sensitive like you to the supernatural. He can sense things through touch. He doesn’t like the term psychic but that’s the best I can explain it,” she said 

”oh,” she said “wow,”

”yes, and it can sometimes take a toll you understand,” 

“yes I do,” she says. “My dreams can be sometimes overwhelming,” she said. 

“lets go upstairs,” pike says. Vex follows her.

”can I talk to him?”

”tomorrow maybe,” 

  
pike is finishing up some last arrangement things for a different funeral tomorrow. When Grog walks into the house carrying a very drunk Percy in his arms. 

”what happened?” She asked 

“I found him a few houses down. He was throwing up. I think he had to much to drink,” he said, pike called allura over to help her. Whatever is was that Percy felt it must have been bad if he would go out and drink like this.   
  


the next morning Pike walks into the kitchen, Scanlan had asked her to ask Percy if he could help them with a case as a consultant. 

“Vex, Percy morning,” pike said “I was wondering Percy if you could help Grog and Scanlan with something,” she said. “There’s this case that Vax was working on,” she said

”yeah I can take a look,” he said 

“you work in CPS?” Vex asked 

“I work with kids as a consultant,” he said. “Because of my abilities I get a certain insight that others don’t. I mostly just make inventions and sell them. They are meant to help others,” he said. 

”to help catch rapists,” she said “vax worked with a lot of kids, he put away a lot of bad people,”

“I know, he is very well known on the news,” Percy smiled 

“as are you,” she said “I looked you up,” pike smiled they were getting along well in her opinion. 

”vex want to go over the last details for tonight?” Pike asks “I’ll send grog and Scanlan your way,” pike tells Percy 

“sure,” she says leaving with pike. They go over the finishing details. Vex asks if she can lay down in a guest room. She’s tired. And drained from all the decisions she has had to make. Pike leads her to a room to lay down in, she leaves to go tend to some other things. Pike ends up in her own room crying for a bit, over the loss of a good friend. She needs to cry, to get it out of her system. 


	9. Grog: Wondering

Grog had been put for a walk when he found Percy bend over throwing up. He could smell the alcohol. Percy was definitely about to tip over. Grog walked over and wrapped his arms around you.

”don’t worry Percy I’ve got you,” he said. Taking him back to Pike’s place. She called allura who came over and helped to take care of him, Allura did a lot of work from home so she had the time too. Grog went to pick up Scanlan from the hospital when he got a text message from him.

“What happened?”

”The case Vax was working on,” he said. 

”since Percy is in town maybe he could help,”

”Percy’s in town?”

”yeah pike called him,”

”to help with Vax I’m guessing?”

”yeah,” 

the next day Grog and Scanlan met up with Percy, Scanlan got him another coffee.

”kids name is...well we don’t know she won’t give it to us,” grog said “We hope you can help us. She speaks a language we don’t know.”

”maybe, I’ll see if I can help translate,” he said. “And see if I get any visions,” 

”you sure you can handle it?” Scanlan asked “pike told me what happened with Vax,”

”I’ll be fine,” he said “just never felt it so strongly before,” he said. “I still can’t shake the feeling,” 

“have you talked to Allura yet?”

”briefly,”

”you need to either talk to her or someone else,” he said “we don’t want to see you get hurt again,” 

“after this is all over I’ll get help,” he said. 

”do you swear?” Grog asked 

“yes, I swear,” he said. 

they walked into the hospital and the nurse led them to a room with a very pale, very tall 13 year old girl, she had hair that was dark and faded into white. She had two different colored eyes. One teal and one a deep violet.

The two started a conversation that neither one could understand. They understood only names. Percy’s and the girl’s. Yasha she went by. She seemed strange and like she had been expecting Percy to show up. She held her hand out to Percy.

”what is?” Scanlan asked “what’s she saying? Percy?” He said. 

Grog didn’t understand what was being said but they were communicating. Then Percy took his gloved off and took the girls hand. He got that look on his face that he got when he was having a vision. He pulled away. The girl said some more things before she got up and left.

”wait where are you going?” Scanlan asked 

“home,” she said leaving. 

”Percy what did she say to you?” 

”she gave me a warning,” he said. 

”so wait...did you...did she even need our help?” Scanlan asked 

“I think she meant to warn Vax, or she did and he didn’t listen,” Percy said. “I’m not sure,” he said. “But umm but I am....not sure,” he said, “she was confusing,” he said. “Very confusing,” 

“I mean I guess that is confusing,” grog said “do we go after her?”

“I’m not sure,” he said 

“we should go back home then and you can talk to allura,” Scanlan said. 

”I don’t, I am fine,” he said 

“you promised,” Scanlan said “Grog will help me drag you there,” 

“yep,” he said 

“fine,” He said. They left Percy at allura and Kima’s and helped pike.

Day of the funeral 

Vex at the front row trinket at her feet. She was sitting next to Keyleth, holding her hand tightly. The door opened, Velora ran up to Vex and hugged her. Grog stopped Syldor, he let Devana.

”grog,” vex said “you can let him through,” she said. He stepped out of the way. Letting him pass. “He deserves to grieve too,” she said.   
  


Velora held onto Vex’s other hand. Everyone shared something. 

________

Grog carried the casket with Gilmore, Jarret and Syldor. It was a surprise that he showed up. Grog had intended to not let him inside until Vex told him it was ok, that he deserved to mourn his son. She said he could stay so long as he behaved himself. And he did. Vex followed closely behind holding onto Keyleth and Devana. After they buried the casket they went back to the funeral home.

”has anyone seen Vex and Percy?” Allura asked

“no,” pike said “why?” She asked 

”I had them talk to each other. And well I think they went to the house,”

”I think I saw ms Vex leave in her car,” pike rushed upstairs. 

”well shit,” Keyleth said. Pike walked into the room. 

”percy is gone too,” she said. “His bag he took it with him,” 

“Where did they go?” Syldor asked. He realized his wallet was missing. “She took my wallet,”

”the house,” Keyleth said. “They went to the house,” 


	10. Vex: wanting

Vex sat in Allura’s office. 

”the dreams are getting worse,” she said 

“when did they start getting worse?”

”five days before Vax died,” she said. 

”you should talk with Percy,” she said 

“we seem to keep getting interrupted,” 

“you can’t go back to the house,” she said 

“I might have too,” she said. Kima lead Percy into the room. 

”look who I found,” she said. 

”hey Percy why don’t you have a seat,” allura said “I think you two should talk,” she said. Vex looked at him. 

”so we meet again,” she said. “Has the house been calling to you?” She asked Percy

”yes,” he said. “It has been,”

________  
  
Day of the funeral 

Vex at the front row trinket at her feet. She was sitting next to Keyleth, holding her hand tightly. The door opened, Velora ran up to Vex and hugged her. Grog stopped Syldor, he let Devana.

”grog,” vex said “you can let him through,” she said. He stepped out of the way. Letting him pass. “He deserves to grieve too,” she said.   
  


Velora held onto Vex’s other hand. Everyone shared something. 

________

Grog carried the casket with Gilmore, Jarret and Syldor. It was a surprise that he showed up. Grog had intended to not let him inside until Vex told him it was ok, that he deserved to mourn his son. She said he could stay so long as he behaved himself. And he did. Vex followed closely behind holding onto Keyleth and Devana. After they buried the casket they went back to the funeral home. 

Vex looks over at her father. 

”do you need anything?” He asked

”No,” she said. “I am fine, I have support. Just make sure Velora gets support,” she said. She hugged him. She snuck his wallet out of his pocket. “I’m going to go change. I’ll see you in a bit,” she said. “I just need to get out of this dress,” 

“alright,” he said. “I’ll see you in a few,” he said.   
  


_________

Vex got into the car and started it up she was heading out when Percy got in her way. He opened the door.   
  
“What are you doing? You can’t stop me,” she said. He got into the car and shut the door. Tossing a bag into the backseat. 

”I’m not going to stop you,” he said. “I coming with you. Okay the dream you described, I saw the same thing,” he said, vex drove off and they drove in silence to that house. They had to stop at a gas station to fill up. Getting some extra cans to set that house on fire. 

”thank you for coming with me,” 

”that house fucked me over too,” he said. 

”so what’s in the bag?” She asked 

“weapons designed to kill if not at least hurt what’s inside that damn house,” he said 

_______

Vex parked the car, the two of them got out. Walking inside, they pour the gasoline on the ground along the stairs. Percy holds a gun in his hand. One he designed himself, Vex also holds one of them in her hands. She sets the place on fire. The flames consume the gas, but it burns up only that. 

”you think that that fire can kill us?” A voice says. Saundor’s voice. 

”and you think little Percival your little toys cans kill us?” A voice vex had never heard before said. A thing of ash and smoke with a bird skull for a head. Vex watches as the demon made of smoke consumes Percy. She couldn’t call it a ghost it was much worse then that. The smoke vanishes along with Percy. 

“Percy!” She yells “Percy,” she is alone again. Saundor appeared before her.

“My darling Vex’aliah, how you have grown,” he said smiling. Tucking her hair behind her ear, it sent chill down her spine. “How you have grown, lovely little flower,” he grabs her arms pulling her towards him. 

Vex woke up, she is in an old wedding gown. Sitting in front of the mirror. 

“Hey stubby,” a voice says “you have to remember this isn’t real,” vex turns to see her brother. 

“what? I don’t understand? Why am I dressed like this? Why are you dressed like that?” He is dressed all in black. 

”that dear sister is a long story,” he said. “But first you have to wake up,” he said. “Or you will be stuck here,”

”vax, I don’t understand,”

”the house needs to feed off of us, it fed off our mother, it fed off the de Rolo family. Vecna wants to wake, he made a deal with the devil. Some people a long time ago stopped him, then we moved into that house, we awoke the evil inside, by accident. It wants to finish what it started. I made a deal with an old god,” he said “that’s why I’m not trapped here and that’s why he can’t actually touch you,” he said. “You are protected by the ravens,”

”ten for a bird you must not miss,” she said. 

”I’ll see you soon,” he said before vanishing. Vex got up and walked down the hallway it felt like it was getting longer. 

”vex,” saundor said. “My bride to be where are you,” he appeared in front of her. 

”i am not your anything!” She said shoving him back. “I am not afraid of you anymore. There’s no need to be,” 

Vex woke up on the red room. The vines curled around her were dried up she sat up and pulled them off. She saw Percy and another girl she assumed was Cassandra his sister ensnared in vines. 

”percy, hey Percy please wake up,” she said. “I need you to wake up,” she tried shaking him. 

”He can’t hear you,” a voice said. Vex stood up she saw Vecna standing in front of her. “You can’t stop me,” 

“if I have to do it in my own I will you bastard!” She growled. 

”your soul will belong to me,” Vecna said. A shot fired out, it dispersed vecna’s form. 

”Will you be so kind as to shut the fuck up,” Percy said. Vex looked back at him, as he rose the vines crumbling to dust. There was something off but vex couldn’t place it.

”oh thank gods you’re alright,” she helped him up pulling him into a hug. Vecna reappeared. 

”How rude, did your parents never teach you any manners!” 

”they died before they got the chance,” Percy said aiming the gun again. He fired it again, Vecna vanished again, in a cloud of dust. Vex can sense something different about him. Something dark, something evil. 

Cassandra wakes up, vex helps her up. “Are you alright darling?” She asks 

“who are you?”

”I’m vex,” she says 

“Percy?” Cass said, she hugged him. “You’re ok,” 

“I’m fine, are you ok?”


	11. Keyleth: worrying

Vex and Percy were nowhere to be seen. She tried to track their phones but Vex had left hers there and Percy had turned gps tracking off. Keyleth was pacing back and forth. Counting her steps, counting her breaths. 

“No I don’t want the card cancelled. I just want to know when and where it’s been used okay,” Syldor said. “Thank you,” he said hanging up. 

”okay so what do we do?” Keyleth asked. She couldn’t lose anyone else

”we will find them,” gil said. “We will,” 

“maybe they went back to the house,” pike said 

“why would they?”

”I don’t know,” Saundor got a call he picked the phone up. And listened said a polite thank you and then hung up. 

”the card was used at a gas station a few miles from the house,” he said.

”they did go back?”

”we have to go,” Keyleth said. “Come on let’s go,” she said. They all got into the cars and drove off heading to the mansion. Keyleth ran inside, the others followed after her. 

”vex!” She called out “Percy!” 


	12. The Briarwoods

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning ⚠️: abuse, compulsion,

Delilah looked at the two children before them. She had always wanted children. Jealous of her sister having seven of them while Delilah herself was barren. Now she had two lovely children of her own. She took Cassandra to her room, leaving Sylas with Percy. Cassandra was ten, young and a lot more care free. A lot more easier to control than Percy would be. They needed them for their connections to the supernatural. They needed to grow the powers that they had, so that when vecna consumed their souls it would be enough to break him out of his prison.   
  
_______

“We want you too see a friend of ours Percival,” Delilah said “she will help you,” 

“I don’t want to see anyone,”

”your entire family died, you were traumatized, Cassandra will also be seeing Dr. Ripley,” 

“no,” he said. Sylas grabbed his arm,

”you don’t have a choice!” He snarled. Bearing his fangs at Percy. Percy tried to pulled away eyes wide. He ended up with deep gashes that tore down his arm. 

”great Sylas you’ve gone and scared him. And hurt him,” 

“don’t worry,” he said lifting Percy up to his feet and forced Percy to look him in the eyes. “You are going to forget what you saw and you will go quietly to see dr. Ripley,” he said. ”you hurt yourself remember?”

”I did?” He said 

“yes, let’s get your arm cleaned up,” he said. “Then we can go see dr. Ripley ok?”

”ok,” he said. He looked slightly confused. Almost like his mind couldn’t quite wrap what was happening or more like it didn’t want to accept the compulsion. But it did. Delilah wrapped up his arm. 

”This is why you need to see dr. Ripley, you hurt yourself,”

”I don’t remember doing it,” he said. Cass stopped looking in. 

”percy? What happened?” she asked coming in.

”Percival had a little accident,” Delilah said 

“that looks bad,” Cass said 

“it’s nothing to worry about Cassie,” Percy said “I’m fine,” 

“ok,” she said. 

”Cassandra,” Delilah said “why don’t you put something warmer on and I’ll meet you at the front door in 5 minutes, we can go to the to the mall and go shopping how does that sound?” 

”fun,” Cass said running to her room.

There was a knock at the door. Sylas let Anna into the house. 

”How old are the psychics?” She asked 

“15 and 10,

“How does he manifest his psychic abilities?”

”touch,” 

“and how does she manifest?”

”she can see ghosts even when they don’t want to be seen,” 

“Let’s get started then,” she said. “It’s been a while since I’ve had my hands on a psychic. Let alone two that are from the same family and both manifest differently,” she said. Delilah and Percy walked out of the kitchen. 

”Percival this is Dr. Ripley,” Delilah said “don’t be rude say hello,” 

“hello,” he said. 

”it’s a pleasure to meet you,” she said. They walked down the basement together. “tell me about the house,”

”you won’t believe me,” 

“try me,” she said. He tells her, he tells her all of it. At first he thinks he can trust her. That she genuinely believes him, but he’s wrong. She writes it off, she hurts him. She says it’s to help him, but he always leaves the sessions with her disoriented. Unable to clearly recall the details of what happened. He ends up hiding his phone in there, recording the session to figure out what’s really going on. He’s 16 when he does this, seventeen when he runs away. He wants to take Cassie with him but realistically he can’t. 

______

Cassie creates a monster to cope with Anna Ripley’s sessions, she doesn’t tell Percy because she thinks he won’t believe her. She wants to tell him, she wants it to stop but Aunt Delilah says he’s sick, that he hurts himself. That he needs Dr. Ripley, so she stays quiet, she doesn’t tell him. She is twelve when he runs away, no note, no good bye, he’s just gone. She turns to her “imaginary” friends. They tell her things she doesn’t believe at first. But then she wonders, she steals Anna’s journal and discovers she wasn’t alone in the abuse, and it makes sense now, why Percy got worse instead of better. Anna was making it worse. The lie continues. They tell her he was sick, they try to get her to continue to see Anna but she refuses. She says she knows what Anna did to her brother. And tells them she will leave if Anna doesn’t get sent away. So they make Anna leave. Cassie agrees to help them with her gift, as long as they don’t lie to her anymore. As long as she helps Anna doesn’t return. 

Delilah spots the first letter in the mail it’s two months after Percy had run away. She hides it away. She hides them all away, she is unsure why she keeps them. She could just toss them. But she keeps them. The letters stop when Cassie turns 15. Delilah thinks it’s because he’s either dead or he has given up on her. She hopes that it’s the latter. They still need him alive. If not then they can make do, but delilah doubts it. They would have heard about it if he was dead. 


	19. Not an update

I am going to be taking a little break from this particular fic as it has become a trigger for me when I write it. I may pick it back up or I may not I dunno. It’s just every time I go to write it my anxiety goes from 0 to 50 real quick. Thank you for understanding


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